This week I’ll be back in Hong Kong for the first time in several years. You’ve always been so good about guiding me to all the right spots, so I’m calling on your help again.Ā What do I need to see in Hong Kong? What are the great shopping areas and places of cultural interest?Ā As always, I’m super interested in the fashion scene, but I would also love to capture something of the cultural scene- as in the Hong Kong equivalent of a square dancer or rugby game. Something that would have a strong cultural and visual impact.

Be sure to check out The Ladies’ Market and Stanley Market for not only shopping, but all kinds of awesome street fashion. You’ll lots of young women, but families too. Should spark the creative light I’m sure. :)

Never been, but there’s a lot of excitement about The Armoury haberdashery. Mark, Alan, and Ethan are some of the most interesting people in menswear right now. The WSJ recently reported that The Armoury purchased Drakes London for an undisclosed sum.

cultural events – certain days of the week (wednesday and either saturday/sunday) there’s horseracing at the jockey club in happy valley. make sure to place at least one bet!

(unfortunately, you’ll be missing out on the rugby 7s, which occurred earlier in march, and chinese new year)

shopping areas – central for all high-end shopping needs, the biggest armani, LV, the landmark, harvey nichols, IFC. causeway bay for more local and interesting style, and perhaps tsim sha tsui and mongkok on the kowloon side too.

hollywood road/mid-level escalators – gentrifying area, but also the place to find old chinese antiques and heirlooms. could find an interesting mix of people walking around in this area.

luk yu teahouse, central – one of hk’s oldest establishments, where many families go for dim sum. very old school hk.

most of these places are hk’s more touristy spots, and wandering off into different districts will give you much to see. perhaps some inspiration here: http://52suburbs.com/suburb/hong-kong/

Love HK! If you’re looking for a cool spot, try the HKJC (Hong Kong Jockey Club). I believe it’s usually pretty exclusive but if you know someone who has a membership or meet someone that does, they can get you in! Also check out Tim Ho Wan for some awesome dim sum (Four Seasons Quality for 1/4 the price! It’s Michelin rated/recommended). I have done a couple of posts on HK back in October. It was my first time there!

Not so much fashion oriented but a spot I visited that stuck out in my mind was Yuen Po Street (Bird, Flower, Goldfish Market). A place where the older generation take their birds for walks and to show off.

Also, you can’t forget Central District’s, Wet Market. It is right off the mid-level escalator along Gate Street, flowing onto the side streets, Peel and Graham St.

Oh that’s going to be so great for you! I shot some photo’s of a girl from Hongkong last week…street style in London. http://stylefig.com/blog/ You will for sure get some amazing shot’s there.
I love the style of the city & the view’s. Great place!!
Oh I I do adore your photo’s. Just got your book as a anniversary present!

Areas of old Hong Kong districts have always appealed to me as they have great backdrops for shooting people. Try Sheung Wan and Sai Ying Pun on Hong Kong islang, or head over to Sham Shui Po on Kowloon for more authentic locations!

I’ve only just begun to follow your work – and more often than not, it leaves me awestruck :)
Hong Kong is wonderful…I have tons of beautiful memories from my family vacation there a couple of years back. Stanley Market would be wonderful, and if I remember correctly, there’s a long scenic drive called the dragon’s back – gorgeous. Po Han Lin monastery is a beautiful place paying homage to Hong Kong, new and old.

Causeway Bay is chock full of fashionable HK-ers. Great shopping at Times Square and Island Beverly Centre. Check out Tung Choi Street around the Ladies’ Market for fashionable HK-ers as well. Tsim Sha Tsui and Central are higher end in terms of fashion and shopping.

For a cultural/visual impact, I agree with watching the horse races in Happy Valley or Sha Tin. I also recommend visiting one of the largest temples in HK, Wong Tai Sin.

Have a cocktail at Aqua Spirit. It’s on the 30/F, 1 Peking Rd, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon, 3427 2288. The place is spectacular and has one of the best views of Hong Kong island.

Of course, you’ll make reservations at Bo Innovation, 2/F, 60 Johnston Rd., Wan Chai, for food renowned around the world.

Everything changes quickly in Hong Kong so I don’t know if this enclave still exists: Rise Commercial Building. It’s in Tsim Sha Tsui and is a nondescript five-story building tucked away at the end of Granville Road, which is a street full of outlet stores. Rise is a warren of small rooms, averaging 10 x 10 feet!, each occupied by a local fashion designer. It was open in the evening.

If you have the time, reserve a table by the floor-to-ceiliing windows in the restaurant in the Happy Valley racecourse. You can watch the races and the people from your table.

Hong Kong is, of course, multicultural, and the best way to immerse yourself in it is to live there for a while and to stay in a residence as opposed to a hotel. I do recommend you wander around Mong Kok, from say Langham Place out Prince Edward Road toward Bird St, where the old men gather with their pet birds to socialize. You’ll pass the flower market, and be within one block of the the former border between Hong Kong and China.

I’d avoid the night markets as they’ve been selling the same things for decades. It’s disappointing how little innovation has reached them.

Canton Road!! all the nice designer boutiques one next to another. and the LV, GUCCI window displays are absolutely amazing! and since it’s a street you might get some cool HK street style there. Also I think you must go to Canton road so you will see scene of people lining up to go shop at LV and GUCCI. ONLY in HK!!! and Harbor city HK has some good shops too. But the real hidden jam is IFC mall, Landmark mall at Central. There’s a huge apple store, TomFord, Jil Sander over there. Those are more high end shopping area. If you wish for some more local feel to it. Time square at Causeway Bay is quite nice. Lee Garden is at causeway bay too. It has all the designer stores but without the crowds.
I absolutely can’t wait to go back this summer!

I was recently in HK and some of the must visit places are;
-fashion walk in causewaybay-little too crowed but great shopping areas.
-the one mall-all the japanese brands are there and there are place called taipen massage! must visit
-IFC mall- good italian restaurant upstiars and highend malls
-Lan Kwai Fong- night life/ bar hopping

Hong Kong Heritage Museum — a little off the beaten path but well worth visiting. If you want culture, you’ll get it here, from Chinese Opera to the heyday of football (soccer) in Hong Kong. Who says HK has no sport other than horseracing? There’s a great exhibit on the development of Hong Kong, and a nice tea room.

If you have the time, visit Ocean Park on a weekday. It’s an amusement park that’s done extremely well. It’s jammed on weekends. Take the aerial tram for the view. Visit the Goldfish Pavilion for exotic specimens and an understanding of why Chinese value them. Stop and say hello to the pandas.

Stroll through Hong Kong Park. Visit the tea museum but make sure you walk through the aviary. There are great views from the park as well.

Hong Kongites spend a lot of time in shopping malls (partly because of the air conditioning) so you’ll have the open space to yourself. HK is over 95% open space. Take a ferry to one of the nearby islands that have banned cars, and walk around. Have a bite to eat at one of the seafood restaurants.

So I’m from HK:)
- Cultural: Sheung Wan, old Hong Kong with a nostalgic feel. North point – where the famous Sunbeam Cinema will be closed soon, they show cantonese opera there.
- Fashionistas: they are most easily seen in Central, causeway bay, Mongkok. And Sham Shui Po because fashion students go there for cheap fabrics during weekends.
- Visual: Other than skyscrapers… Mongkok – where people never sleep, there’s temple street and ladies’ market, connects the famous Nathan road. Causeway bay, Stanley market – shopping areas.
- Food: Stick to Sheung Wan, Wan Chai, Sham Shui Po for old hong kong. Mongkok for Street food. Kowloon City for “little thailand”. http://www.openrice.com/english/ helps.
- Sports: They had the rugby sevens last month already. But the horse racing in Sha Tin is a special scene.
- Bun festival: traditional events around last week of April in Cheung Chau.

You should:
1. Go to the Peak, hike it at sunrise or sunset.
2. Eat at Bo Innovations.
3. Eat at Tim Ho Wan (Michelin 1-star) dim sum restaurant. Think $10 for more amazing dim sum than you can comfortably eat.
4. Grab a beer and listen to the incredible musicians/vocalists at “From Dusk Til Dawn” bar. Their rock cover bands are very talented, it’s not too loud, and the crowd is laid back and fun. A lot of HK natives and expats, few tourists.
5. Neptune II club in Wan Chai (watch out for ladies of questionable affection). The club is an institution and the neighborhood is fascinating.
6. Eat a Kit-Kat–seriously, they’re better in Asia.
7. Sunday champagne brunch at Talk of The Town (TOTT) on top of the Excelsior.
8. Walk around LKF during bar time…messy but interesting.

Also, if you’re going between Kowloon and HK Island, use the subway. It’s cheaper AND faster. There are two kinds of cabs and two tunnels–some cabs go between the islands cheaply, others hit with you with tunnel fees of either 40 or 60HK$. A $20 cab ride or a $2 subway ride (clean, fast, polite people, cool experience) ? Not a close call.

To see more of the independent fashion scene aside from all the major labels that have a large presence in HK I would recommend going to the smaller malls like Island Beverley in Causeway Bay or an area like Mongkok which is crammed with something of everything. It’s where Fa Yuan aka sneaker street is, although sadly most of the independent stores are gone. But there is still the bird garden on Yuen Po street, the flower market and goldfish street which I think are pretty unique. I wouldn’t actually recommend the Ladies’ Market so much as it can get really crowded and there is not so much there except knockoffs. I would also go to Argyle Centre and Langham Place if Mongkok in general gets too chaotic.

Sheung Wan would be a cool area to visit to see more of ‘old’ Hong Kong or even Sham Shui Po, if that’s not too far out of the way. It’s really interesting to see although Hong Kong is such a modern city quite a bit of what it used to be remains. If its another few years before you visit again, a lot of this stuff might be gone. I remember on around Kweilin and Yu Chau St there is a vegetable seed store that’s been around since there was still farming on Hong Kong, since the early 1900′s. I’m not sure it’s still there anymore.

In terms of nightlife, Lan Kwai Fong is a very popular district with expats and there are lots of different restaurants and bars.

Otherwise, Hong Kong is a pretty safe city and there is no harm just seeing where it takes you. There are quite a few places where what looks like a crammed alley way is actually filled with stores and carts selling different things and there are ladies sitting on stools getting a gel manicure on the street.

Also, if you do plan on visiting areas like Mongkok or the smaller independent stores where a lot of the younger set tend to shop, many of these don’t open till past noon as the people running them have been out partying the night before.

It is fascinating to take a ferry ride to Macau and see all the antique dealers– maybe you will spot a pink dolphin in the water! Also– I loved going to the famous street where everyone brings their birds in bamboo cages. And of course– you must dine at night at the top of Victoria Peak and see the blaze of neon below– divine….
ENJOY this most incredible city…..

Havent been in a decade; sure it has changed alot. i lived near Stanley Market. Could take a bus to the New Territories and shop the Gurka Market, an outdoor flea market. Just loved all the ceramics you could find there.

I agree with Charmaine – the smaller shops crammed in tiny malls are much more interesting, such as Island Beverly in Causeway Bay or along Granville Road at Tsim Sha Tsui. You are not going to find international brands at those place but rather small boutiques that locals shop at. Mong Kok is also great if you want to be amongst the locals.

Also check out the little fishing village of Tai O – they call it “Venice of Hong Kong” and there are houses on stilts, which I believe people still reside in.

Tokio Joes in Lan Kwai Fong: Best Japanese Food ever
Gaia in Central/Sheung Wan: Nice, calm Italian restaurant–Owner, Pino, is fabulous
SEVVA: A nice take on outdoor bar in a very old building
China Club: If you book via your AMEX card, you can visit this old school establishment without a member
Tea at the Mandarin Oriental (Old one): Just a classy experience, enough said!

Make sure you have dim sum at Tian Hao Yun Dim Sum (in Mongkok) or Luk Yu Tea House (in Central)! For shopping, be sure to check out any of the i.t clothing outlet stores for designer wear at really affordable prices!

hi Scott-
1-Try having lunch, tea or dinner at Sevva @ Prince Building, Central. Great view towards the city and amibance.
2-A great small hotel is Upper House at Pacific Place. If you are not staying there, try have a drink in its only bar/restaurant.
3-All the major designer labels have flagships in HK. But check out Lane Crawford at IFC- a hybrid of Bergdorf and Barneys. I aways stop by their Men’s shoe department- nice selection( HK has no sales tax)
4-Try traditional Chinese lunch or dinner at Yung Kee @ Wellington Street or Lei Garden( more slick ) at IFC
5- If you know someone who is a member of AMC ( Amberdeen Marina Club- private yacht club, ask them to take you there for lunch or dinner. It is on the other side of HK island and will give you a different perspective of the place.
Be prepare of the place- it is high energy, never sleeps , humid and packed with people always seem to be in a mad rush. But I love it, it is my other home ….. besides NY. Hope you’ll have some fun!!

You can try Kowloon Park early in the morning where a lot of people of all ages do King Fu / Tai Chi practice. You may call this cultural scene. You can do this before the shops on Canton Road commnce business.

-Lan Kwai Fong, especially during the day (night time it’s more a bar party scene)
-Langham Mall is one of the best malls there
-Tsim Sha Tsui is a great spot for culture on the Kowloon side of the place, and the harbour there are night is beautiful! There’s always a light show that faces from the HK island side at around 8pm!
-Mong Kok is practically the heart of city where it’s the busiest and plenty of merchandise is located there too.
-If you head over to the HK Island side, across the Victoria Harbour, causway bay is one of the newest places for fashion too: It’s kind of the fashion district
-Hong Kong even has it’s own rendition of “times square” somewhere on that side.

Take a ferry to Cheung Chau island. Choose the slow ferry (roughly 55 minutes) and you’ll be able to lounge on the outside deck while cruising. The island is picturesque with weathered fishing boats and their bright sails. But the reason to go is to visit a Japanese woman who owns a teashop and sushi roll spot. She’ll take your picture before you take hers; she takes photographs of all of her visitors and catalogs them in notebooks. Her name is Takahiko-san. Very delightful.

SO EXCITED that you come to HK!!!! Wish to meet you!
Go to Happy Valley Racecourse on Wednesday night
Lan Kwok Fong on Friday/Sat night (You can find best martinis @ DROP)
South Beach or Sai Kung on Sunday
There are some small boutiques scattered throughout Sheungwan.
If you love nature, there are lots of amazing, easy-to-get-to trekking trails throughout Hong Kong.
If you look for high-end stuff, stick to Central.
If you want the real, busy, elbow-to-elbow HK, go to Mong Kok / Yaumatei.

Restaurants here are AMAZING, I can compile a book for recommendations, but besides just going to posh restaurants, you can try Australia Dairy Company (my favourite) in Jordan, the places is busy ALL THE TIME literally, must try their scramble egg on toast – BEST IN THE WORLD.

I am HK local, so do let me know if you have any questions :)
WELCOME TO HONG KONG!!!!

Menswear… check out a shop called Moustache on Aberdeen Street, Central. There are some nice boutiques around too. One opened recently on Gough Street (same neighborhood), the owner is selling clothes designed by his Italian friend in Florence.

Agree with some of the comments above, horse-racing on a Wednesday night is always good. Grab a beer and place a few bets at Happy Valley! :) and check Fringe Club – they sometimes have live music shows at night, and Peel Street Fresco Lounge offers live music every night from 10pm onwards.

- sheung wan & sai yin pun are full of individual stores, little galleries and super ueber creaitive people. take a stroll fro. soho over “noho” down there
- check out tin hao or better said tai hang. the block structure of this little part is very rare and the buldings kept exceptionally low. shops opening every week, home fo for uber stylish hknese ppl. abd dont forget to cgeck out the feel good store with its coffee shop unar coffee. best in town .
cwb definitely attracting stylish people aswell as granville
road in tst! has a hidden chinese fashion
mall will local/korean fashion. skip the ladies matket! full of trash!

The best way to experience HK is by walking it! It’s not big, but deadly hot and humid so dress light!! There is also a tram on the island if walking becomes unbearable.

Sheung Wan (walking distance from central) is a nice local area where you can see the dried food shops and get some pretty awesome, local shots (and experience the unforgiving scent, that I love by the way). You can also walk all the way to Kennedy town which is a pretty local area, with some nice, old buildings. You can also walk up Nathan Road and experience all the street stalls and markets of Sham Shui Po, Mong Kok and Prince Edward, That’s always fun, and really local. Kowloon City has some of the oldest buildings and some standing memories of the ‘old Hong kong’.

I am based in Hong Kong, so maybe my blog can give you a bit of inspiration for your trip?

Hi Scott! For great places to eat apart from street food (Mongkok!), try Din Tai Fung for their xiao long bao and Cuisine Cuisine in IFC Mall Central — their peking duck is to die for! You have to order it a day in advance. Enjoy Hong Kong!

for shopping it would be among TsimShaTsui, Causewaybay and Centralļ¼You’d see half HongKong people and half tourist at these zones. I personally find Pacific place being the most pretty shopping mall.. for cultural scene, check out Stanley Park.

Things to do in HK – there are so many! Mostly covered by the other posters, but you could also check these out:

Sight seeing – I would recommend seeing the cityscape by day and by night – watching the light show on board the Aqua Luna is always fun at night, and taking the tram up the Peak is good during the day.

Sheung Wan is a nice area to wander around, follow Hollywood Road away from Central and you walk past many Antique shops, check out G.O.D. for fun, tongue in check, souvenirs. Further down you can check out Man Mo Temple which leads on to many traditional coffin shops. On the right is Cat Street for cheap ‘antique’ tat and Chinese memorabilia.

Mong Kok markets are good to wander around and get lost. The Jade market is interesting and I always enjoy the noodles at the Night Market (menus in English for tourists are reassuring for the less adventurous!).

You should go for Dim Sum for a more designer, westernised version check out Dragon-I on Wyndham (also good for people watching and cocktails in the evening); a more local version is good at Yung Kee (Wellington Street).

Finally for that ‘colonial’ experience (but super popular with locals) try an afternoon tea – the most traditional is at the Peninsula Hotel, but all the large hotels offer one.

Wow, you will come to Hong Kong!!! Even though I am a local Hong Konger, I do not know well about this place. So I am so excited to see the photos you take in Hong Kong, see your perspective on this place and hear your opinion about the stay!

There are a lot you can see in HK. For high end shopping, there is Lane Crowford, Joyce Boutique, D-Mop, and well, I.T. – which I am mentioning this the last as I think it has changed a lot and not as interesting any more.

You can also visit On Lan Road for some of the individual labels, but lots of small boutiques up in SOHO as well.

There is also a small shopping mall called Laforet I think, behind Sogo the big Department Store in Causeway Bay, you will find a lots of Korean low price fashion items there.

Places for visit – you should really go to Canton Road in Tsim Sha Tsui, not because of all the flagship stores there but the purchasing power from the mainlanders and not local Hong Kong residences. Not too far away is Mong Kok, will give you a completely different atmostphere.

I am sure you will find lots of landmarks online but if you have more time, try out the hiking tracks or the smaller islands, the seafoods, you will definitely like it.

Go to causeway bay and mongkok for fashion. Causeway bay has many nice shops. I recommend shine, and the many permutations of I.T. Wanchai has lots of old buildings. check out the Blue House and the abandoned house on ship street There are also lots of little shops hidden in the side streets of Wanchai. Make sure to eat lots of good food and have fun!

For something a little less touristy, stroll around Hollywood Road and the streets running uphill from it from the Man Mo temple onwards towards Sheung Wan. The Man Mo itself is interesting too. There are loads of small shops selling interesting pieces by local designers in this area and the architecture is quite old school and very charming.
Dim Sum at Maxim’s City Hall is an institution, and they still have the carts – not many places do nowadays. But get there early or queue for an hour!

hello ! i would recommend the sun/moon/star area in wanchai. you can find there some very nice cafes and good menswear stores such as (delstore), womenswear (vein). also the monocle store and our store kapok (www.ka-pok.com) . enjoy hong kong !

Must go to the gallery district in Sheung Wan right above Hollywood road. Nothing interesting is happening at the IFC or any of those high end Asian mega-malls, but check out the neighborhoods in Mongkok or swing by Temple street instead. Causeway Bay is still great for a younger crowd nights and weekends. I would make a point of visiting the China Club in Central if you want a great view and some of the best decor the city has to offer.

hello! I’m a fashion designer, I’m living in Hong Kong. I thing you can go to Happy Valley on Wednesday Night for horse racing, to Lan kwai fong (if you wanna see a lot of drunk foreigners…), Central/tsim sha tsui for the shopping area (Chanel, cartier, etc…) but if you wanna see the real china style come to my place! hahaha I live in San Po Kong (I think is the most china place in HK.. haha) and EVERYDAY I can’t believe what I see, people dress mixing everything they have in the wardrobe… sometimes is really funny!!

There’s a building full of HK designers small shops… I just don’t remember the adress now but if you’re interested I can search it. It’s an interessant place for see what they love to wear.

Traditional places: you can go to Lantau Island to visit Tai O, and of course, The giant Buda. Or you can go hiking to Wan Chai and see the wild part of HK (not really wild because when you thing you’re lost in the middle of the forest you turn around and see skyscrapers everywhere!!!).

Also you can go to Stanley beach during the weekend… I think the different teams started to practice the Dragon Boat for July competition… My team starts practicing on 21, if you wanna join, will be a pleasure!

Fabulous! Looks like everyone has pointed out pretty much the good spots in HK. It’s very small meaning the travel distance is short and you can probably squeeze in most of the locations.

The Armoury is such a treat and it’s made more special by the fact that it’s its only kind in HK. Merchandising at Lane Crawford is definitely a treat.

There is this tiny shop called Dark Water which makes the most beautiful leather shoes. It’s in this tacky shopping mall with cheap wedding dresses (will make you laugh).

It’s thundering at the moment but hopefully by the time you are here, the weather will be better. Going to the beach to relax is nice. I like South Bay Beach, Big Wave Bay Beach and Sai Kung is beautiful as well. If you want big crowds, go to Shek O, Repulse Bay and many others.

If you will be outdoors a lot, bring hand towel or even a spare tee! It can get extremely hot and humid. But also a light sweater for the super cold indoor aircon. Don’t be alarmed by people spitting. You will learn to dodge them. Bring comfy shoes for walking around and expect hilly areas.

I love visiting temples in Hong Kong. If you are on Hollywood road looking at the antiques and walking around to see the small hidden shops and galleries, then drop by Man Mo Temple (very smoky! I know a lot of tourists just go in and take tons of photos but it’s actually polite to just burn some essence, give respect and give a tiny donation.) One of the fun ones is Ten Thousand Buddhas Monastery in Shatin. Kitschy golden statues greeting you all the way up. Fung Ying Seen Koon houses some beautiful deity statues as well. Obviously there are the Big Buddha in Lantau Island (also fun going up the clear floor cable car) and Wong Tai Sin (bit pricey). There are also some temples of the Tao variety hiding in office buildings.

Apart from Luk Yu, Yung Kee and City Hall dim sum, if you have friends who are members, the Scout’s association’s dim sum is excellent and China Club is interesting as well. I totally recommend Peking Duck at Peking Garden at the Tsim Sha Tsui branch (book and ask for window seat for the harbour view). Yacht Club’s view is definitely nice. So is the bar at ICC. Drinks can be over 200HKD a pop.

Hmmm not much sports b/c the city is so small, but lots of food and fashion! I recommend THE PEAK! It’s a tourist hot spot, but such an BREATHTAKING VIEW during day or night. If you want to see street fashion, I would go to the NIGHT/STREET MARKETS. MONG KOK stands out in my mind. The subway is also a good place to go. Everyone needs to take it, so you’ll see all kinds of styles there. Hope that helped! =)

as a fellow new yorker, now expat and in the fashion scene in hk, have totally asked that question when i first moved abroad 3 years ago. below i have included some recs that will hopefully yield some winners. happy to provide additional color over email if you’d like to reach out – don’t want to clutter your page from other suggestions from your helpful fans!

Many of the below are inspired by Japanese & Korean fashion. These are basically multi-level complexes with boutiques scattered in a maze-like arrangement, selling everything from clothing and shoes to accessories for electronics. Shibuya109 or Dongdaemoon like, for lack of a better description if you’ve been in Japan or Korea, respectively.

Island Beverly (CWB)
La Foret (CWB)
Causeway Bay Plaza (CWB)

World Trade Center (CWB) – is closer to the traditional mall, but features more HK street-style boutiques and more discount designer stuff

Sham Shui Po has a fabric market & wholesale items – analagous to a sprawling Wufenpu in Taipei if you’ve ever been

OTHERS – more “alternative”

Star street precinct (Admiralty/Wanchai)
Queen’s Road East (Wanchai stretching to Happy Valley)
Yiu Wah Lane (CWB) : a gem of an alley flanked by bars and new western stores but containing a bunch of interesting boutiques

Activities
cultural activity-wise, my orchestra has a concert coming up but it is hardly the hallmark of the HK scene. there are several recreational leagues for sports, but the races on Wednesday are probably your best bet. I have a separate list with some more views assessing the LKF clubs and bars scene if you consider that “cultural” :) Will have to give it some more thought but will leave you with this to digest first! Hope this helps.

If you want to know, my favorite city in Hong Kong is Central. Because Central is the main financial district in HK, not only will you find the greatest Architecture and high luxury services there, you would also see people from the extreme backgrounds come together. The city is very vibrant with people in professional attires in the weekdays, and casual foreign workers enjoying their time in the weekends. Hope you enjoy your visit!

I forgot to mention that there are some great authentic Indian restaurants in ChungKing Mansions. That place is like part Brick lane and part Brixton in London. Definitely fun.

Tai-O fishing village is definitely worth a visit as you never know how long it will be there.

If jet lag is bad and you are up like 6am, walk around the parks to see some authentic Tai Chi. For us, it’s nothing new age and anyone can do it. You might even see Tai Chi practitioners with swords, staffs, fans etc.

The Sun Beam theatre just reopened which houses mostly traditional Canto Chinese Opera. Could be a bit too high pitch for some but definitely worth going! It’s one of the few traditions that is struggling to stay alive.

When my friends come and visit, sometimes I take them on a tram (ding ding) ride. If you see the modern design, avoid it. Try go to the top floor and go to the front for a good shooting spot. I know the MTR is very efficient but sometimes it’s nice to just ride around and look at the streets. If you end past the Tin Hau area from Central, you will definitely see a bit more local Hong Kong island side of HK (if you want even more local and countryside, go to New Territories).

In case you are interested, go to Sham Shui Po for fabrics, trimmings and parts! It’s like candy land there! Silk ribbons are definitely cheaper than in Europe.

To be honest, with fashion I much prefer Europe or the US. The mark-up in HK used to be much lower and being VAT free, it used to be a shopping haven but now, not as much because of the nouveau riche Chinese billionaires. Inflation not so fun!

Pacific Place, after its renovation is a gem. The architectural aspect is beautiful. Try the toilet at this mall! Upper House is definitely slick. Food is hit and miss though but the service is fabulous. Mandarin Oriental is definitely worth a visit for its old school experience. The Hainan Chicken Rice is famous! Looks deceptively simple but tastes delicious! Scones are to die for as well.

Super psyched that you’re going to Hong Kong – where I’m from! Loads of great suggestions here – I particularly second Sheung Wan/Central (for charismatic streets, slopes and stairs), Yaumatei/Mongkok (I agree though that you may skip the Ladies Market and wander around the area instead), taking the ferry across the Harbour (seeing Tsim Sha Tsui at the same time), and Happy Valley/Causeway Bay (The intersection in front of Sogo and the adjacent pedestrian areas are great for people-watching). For a moment of peace in the busy city: I love a walk in the Victoria Park right beside Causeway Bay on a good day, and also in Tai Hang (lots of local restaurants tucked in there as hidden gems). North Point/Quarry Bay is a residential area off the tourist path and has a mix of quaint and fun things, worth seeing if you’re interested in the local flavors of HK. Have fun there and I can’t wait to see pictures!

If you have time, there are frequent ferries to Cheung Chau island and it’s a nice place to spend a day – interesting street food and seafood too. You can rent bikes and travel around the island that way – it’s pretty small.

I like to chill with friends at the bars on the rooftop of the IFC mall (RED bar and ISOLA bar). They have nice views overlooking the harbour. To add to previous comments, SEVVA does have great views but I heard that customer service is really poor and the food is average! But apparently they’re better to foreigners so it might be a good experience.

I’ve always loved going to Hongkong! I myself is a tourist, but every year I make sure I visit.
I go there for many reasons:
1. Shopping – I go to Mongkok for cheap finds on shoes – shoe road! (you will find nice boat shoes, converse, doc martens etc!); I go to central and causeway bay, there I see a lot of really fashionable people! Times Square is fabulous place to shop as well. When I’m in Kowloon, I usually stay in canton road. All the high end store are there! Prada, LV, Burberry, Gucci, Hermes etc!
2. Food – I love the food! Anywhere there is fabulous eat! But I always go back to Sweet Dynasty! One of my favorite restaurants!
3. Night out – I go to Lan Kwai Fong! Nice to have a late night drinking with lots of friendly people aroung you! :)

Ohhh where to start, perhaps maybe by asking how long you’re here for! from hitting the beaches to checking out the western part of the island such as Sai Ying Pun to Central/LKF for expat nightlife to the dark side (Kowloon as HK islanders call it) there’s so much to do. One thing for certain, you need to go to Mong Kok to check out the ‘MK look’ that is a distinctive style of local HK culture (it’s actually mostly a hybrid of Japanese/Korean styles but you will see expressive teens flaunting their unfortunately identical styles.) Drop me an email if you need any suggestions. Will be happy to give you ideas!

if u have time and if the weather permits, there are beautiful hiking trails and beaches in saikung – if u don’t want to hike u can also access one of the most beautiful beaches in ham tin wan in saikung by old school chinese style ghetto speed boats and eat at the only restaurant there – a local style sea side cafe (in essence serves you local style coffee, tea, fried rice etc) is interesting… very different vibe – totally NOT glam but charming. http://www.afcd.gov.hk/english/country/cou_vis/cou_vis_cou/cou_vis_cou_ske/cou_vis_cou_ske.html

I don’t have all the details, but if you are interested, email me and i’ll ask my friend for the info!

Can’t wait for your photos in HK!!! And seriously hoping I would bump into you!!
I can’t call it island hoping, but the small outlying islands in Hong Kong are actually quite interesting and definitely culture-filled. Check out Lamma Island, Cheung Chau, and Lantau Island.

Fashion-wise, Central and Causeway Bay are the spots to be spotted, but you might also be interested in checking out the fabric, leather, and DIY accessories places in Shum Shui Po!

This is going to be a long post but I broke it in to bullet points. Sorry, just trying to help. A few have been covered but here we go:

Fashion:
Little malls with individual retailers is quite a good place to start to find interesting fashion. They are actually everywhere, it’s just a case ofkeeping your eyes peeled for them. Dont forget to look up as there are hundreds of shops above the ground floor.

TST Harbour city mall (not the high end part the small shops to the back) and the mall under Chunkin Mansions are easy to find.

TST East around the Poly Technic University is quite good for funny little shops and a small local party sceen.

Prince Edward, Mong Kok and Ya Ma Tai the staple for markets from flowers through goldfish as well as clothes.

Fo Tan artist comities and the area around Sha Tin is pretty interesting if you know a guy to get you in.

Sai Ying Pun has quite a few little shops making shoes/screen printing /leather making/workshops /etc. (as well as awesome coffee)

Tin Hau have quite a few new guys coming up as Causeway Bay expands. Causeway Bay is quite good in itself from Fashion Walk past WTC on Lockhart Road to the Beverly Center

Lane Crawford/IFC/Central is always easy for the norm.

Cultural:
Hourse raceing. Sha Tin is probably better for a bit more of a local atmosphere.

Dragon Boating! Hong Kongs national sport! Lots of teams practice in Stanley on Saturday and Sunday. Just look for the sea school and you cant miss the boat house for the dragon boat association.

In the quieter bits of town you’ll see guys in shops or in the street just paying Mahjong or checkers. They can get grumpy if you try to photograph them becasue they’ll be gambling and it illigal here.

For straight up tourist foder:

Half price Mitchelen star lunches on week days – about 600HKD for a set of 4 courses with wine, coffee, etc. The Shangri-La has a particuarly nice view from it’s resturant.

The peak tram is good but you can get away with not going to the peak itself. It’s just a rubbish shopping mall on top of a hill.

Great drinking in 5 star hotel bars across town including the O Zone bar. The highest bar in the world- great views and you can see the lazer show from there with out being too disapointed.

Local drinking on the hills between Soho and Shueng Wan.

Whores in Wan Chai.Tarts in LKF. After work drinks on Wyndham Street.

Temples/wet markets/etc are all easy to spot.

Umm… that’s all I can think of just now. Just spend your time wandering aimlessly and you’ll have a great time!

You should come check out SCAD Hong Kong for the fashionable students and Sham Shui Po for the culture!

We are also hosting SCAD Style (same event that you took place in last year in Savannah) here in Hong Kong from Tuesday, April 17 – Wednesday, April 18th. Tonight’s panel will focus on Hong Kong Design and Social Responsibility and tomorrow’s panel will focus on Fashion and Social Media.

BTW: I think you need to go up on the Peak, take a tram ride by night, the Bank of China has an amazing view point in their topmost level. There are food markets everywhere which were always a nice inspiration…

Jar got it all…
I would add Kapok, the 2 shops in Wanchai, one next Monocle on Sun street and the other one on St Francis Yard :http://www.ka-pok.com/webshop/
Also, the latest IT store in Causeway Bay on 1 Hysan avenue.https://www.ithk.com/eng/main.html
Sport… The Rugby Sevens tournamen is over, we still have the racecourse on wed in Happy Valley, and the Dragon Boats Festival, mostly in Stanley, the race is soon and the boats usually train on week ends around Stanley main beach.
You can also pass by the Craigengower Cricket Club in Happy valley :http://www.ccc1894.com/
D

Have high tea at Peninsula Hotel. It represent the british colonial era of HK. It’s is also great for spotting the “tai tai”s or housewives shopping and having tea decked out in their newest fashion trophies. Visit a store on Hollywood road in central called gallery one. They have amazing vintage and antiques. Ask to go into the back or upstairs for the hidden treasures. Can spend hours there looking at antiques, that place is covered with it. From floor to ceiling. And Eva in that store makes the best arrangements for necklaces with their collection of antique beads of ambers, jades , ivory and all sorts of gem stones.

Hi, I’m from Hong Kong!! I have been reading your blog for ages!!
Any chance I can see you in HK??? Will you have any public appearance?? (i.e. book signing?)
Now the shopping streets in HK (Canton Road, Queen’s Road Central) are full of tourists queuing up in front of brand name shops (LV, Gucci, Prada)…you may wanna take photos of them…totally dun understand why people need to queue up to buy some totally overpriced bags…
For elegant work style, you may want to go to Central during a weekday lunch hour, a lot of women in nice suits and pumps~

For the submersion into local atmosphere of Hong Kong, eat dim sum at Lin Heung Tea House. It’s full of elderly men hogging seats with their newspapers, races toward food carts (prepare to use your elbows), and tea poured the old-fashioned way.

Yes, finally! I live in Hong Kong and Iāve seen the most interesting people in the MTR. The neighborhoods Sheung Wan, Central, Soho and Admiralty are fascinating and you will find the right angle there. Good luck with your search.

Please go to Linva Tailors- they were the one who made Maggie Cheung’s Cheongsam in that amazing ‘In The Mood for Love’ with Leung Kar Wai. Tiny little shop in central:
Linva Tailors (38 Cochrane Street, Central; 852-2544-2456)

I nearly died and went to heaven when I walked in and the dress in the shop window fitted me exactly for my wedding back then- so no crazy 3 month wait!

You need to go to Sham Shui Po- an unlikely recommendation as it is one of the poorest areas in Hong Kong, with the dodgy hairdressers providing ‘extra services’, the locals eating at the street stalls, yet also the place where designers not only locally by from worldwide go to search for fabrics and trims etc..- the whole area is filled with suppliers and shops filled with fabrics and embellishments. It is a great hybrid. You get the poor locals, you get the occasional glam hipster.

As an independent jewellry designer in hong kong with limited budget, this place with the large variety of beads and other materials, it enables me to realise my dream and designs even on a low budget and I can’t be more grateful, I can’t imagine anywhere else in the world with such a concentrated area for resources. Many of my designer glamorous friends would snicker at me sweating out running around shops in what they would call a dodgy area-Sham Shui Po, but I love it and I love digging in to create my dream out of nothing.

You really should have at least one meal at “The Pawn” in central, it’s a former pawn shop and they serve really delicious chicken and vegetable dishes, fish and chips is also a local favourite. Its a contemporary artisan restaurant, while it delivers a very hip and cool modern aesthetic. I am not plugging the restaurant, just quite enjoyed it last month.

1. Think u ll like The Star Street precinct near Admiralty or wan chai on Hk island. Cool shops there include 45r, visvim, Vein, kapok plus a number of nice cages. Hard to find street level shops in hk. It’s a gem! Village feeling but amidst super expensive hi rise
2. Maybe u ll like to c a part of the old Hk? ä¹å¦åis super special with some homeware shops. Again not a shopping mall. Somewhere near central or Sheung Wan
There r art galleries near by. In fact within walking distance of Wellington street where u ll find galleries of all sorts
3. Central is like Faubourg st honore or via monte napoleone, causeway bay is like st honore near Colette or Corso Como ! Take a look at Leighton street in causeway bay. Interesting coz it’s not another boring shopping mall but a shopping street. N marimekko is going to open there
4. I think The lee gardens always has its charm. Major brands r there incl the first hermes homeware shop at the basement n the only Maria Luisa ( from paris) boutique in Hk. Joyce marni Chloe Chanel etc all there but much better than a normal shopping mall .

Was just there for the rugby 7s. Try Zuma for dinner lev 5 and 6, 15 queens rd cental, great modern japanese , awesome fitout, amazing hand rolls. Quiet drink hit Alfies bar above the Dunhill store in central, fantastic intimate fitout. Fashion everywhere but very stylish girls and guys around the finance district at lunch time. have fun!

Yes..Happy Valley…we stayed at the Langham Mongkok, walking all around that area was beautiful at night. Chilli crab in the night market and old men playing Ma Jong under the trees. And all the beautiful house girls who have to go out for the day on Sundays. It’s an amazing city x

Probably Soho. And they walk by Central-Causeway Bay-Wanchai sometimes? / I’d avoid the hi-rent Flagship Stores in TST or Causeway Bay, they are built for rich tourists now… haha / Mongkok is full of local people. But most of them dress-the -same and look-the-same. I’m born and raised here I can definitely say that :P / Lady Street-Temple Street still worth to see, Stuff are cheap. (and fake)

4. Tom Waits said, the best way to get inspirations is just go get lost. Try jump on a double-deck bus going nowhere in NON-RUSH HOUR?! Or blend in a packed train RUSH HOUR to feel how suffocating lives could be here?! Good Luck!

I was there last september, this really is a great city, a mix between San Fran and Jurassic Park… Maybe you should go to see the Big Buddha in Lantau island, very relaxing, then have a nice meal on the rooftop of Isola (beautiful italian restaurant), and a drink in a bar at the LFK hotel… This is such a great city, enjoy your time there!

Central open air escalator can be cool … watching the locals all go down to work from very early morning. And the little family/local stalls/shops that line the way. Then it changes direction and goes up — later in the evening has the after dinner crowd returning home past local nightspots.

The wet markets are very “colorful” and traditional and so are the stalls that sell burial “offerings” — everythings made of paper — cars shoes houses animals — and belief is that they go with the deceased person to bring wealth to their next life. Don’t forget to look up at the tangle of washing, windows, pipes and wiring — Michael Wolfs shots document this craziness of crowded living

Stroll around Aberdeen street, many interesting shops there. Check out Moustache on Aberdeen Street.
Lockhart road in the evening is fun.
Granville road in the evening is full of young and fashionable people.
Causeway Bay is a must go.
Hop on a tram in Kennedy Town and eastbound until Shaukeiwan, you will see Hong Kong.
For swimsuit photo, try Repulse Bay.
We Hongkongers are not known for sport, but we love to workout. Rent a bicycle at Taiwai and go up north at the bike trail, you will see many locals and feel how they live.
In Victoria park you will see many locals working out, tai chi, jogging, tennis…
Try the indoor gym run by the government, many play badminton there, that’s very Hong Kong.
I never like Mongkok but many do.

I’ve read a few of above suggestions, very typical tourists sites, Ladies’ Market, shopping malls and the Peak??? When my friends come visit, I would never take them. They can go by themselves with guide books.

I will suggest you to go to Sham Shui Po, Kowloon, if you want to see really really local lives, there is a big area for fabrics and trimmings, also many interesting little street stores, wet markets, snake restaurant…etc

I’ve only been in Hong Kong a few months and I’m already in love with this city. There’s so much to do and see – if you’re keen on walking and are staying on Hong Kong island, I’d recommend strolling through the streets around Central. Start off at Wyndham Street and walk up away from Queen’s Road, then head west and hit the smaller streets – smaller in size, but not character, by far – Hollywood Road, Wellington St., Gough St., Stanton Road, Old Bailey St., just to name a few. These streets are packed with unique shops selling things from cupcakes to antiques, featuring local designers and local wines, and are ideal for people watching and exploring another part of Hong Kong that isn’t a blinding cacophony of designer labels and posh restaurants. Keep walking west and you’ll eventually hit Sheung Wan, after walking through streets of old, family-owned shops and small parks that pop up randomly as you wander around the hill. You can head to Wan Chai for an endless choice of food – street side stalls, corner side restaurants with roasted duck, geese and pork, quirky bars high and low (Madam Sixty Eight on Johnston Road is a cosy, fun spot). Wandering around on foot is definitely a to-do in Hong Kong – half the experience is getting somewhat lost!

A few nighttime tips
1 – Do not miss Ā«SevvaĀ» in the Prince Building, Central. Great View and interesting people.
2 – Ozone in the ICC Tower is now the highest Bar in Asia
3 – A lovely rooftop terrace you’ll find in the Lan Kwai Fong Hotel, the Bar is called Ā«AzureĀ»
4 – A wonderful place to eat is Ā«BacarĀ» in Soho, serves fun Tapas (don’t miss the risotto balls)

I see many people suggesting very touristy places, which are great if you’re just going around for fun, but there are many overlooked parts of HK that are truly inspiring if you’ve got an eye for design and color. Stanley is great for a good time, but it’s very polished, very designed to cater to ex-pats and tourists. My recommendations are the following:

Wander around Sheung Wan, go down the back alleys and side roads. There are a lot of hidden thrift stores, and even a few used book and record shops as well.
Wake up early and wander around the streets before all the vendors and shops are open and bustling. The city has a very ethereal quality around this time. The backroads of Central are great places to do this.
Stroll around Tsim Sha Tsui for an afternoon- make sure to duck into a cha chaan teng (tea shop, they’re everywhere) and get yourself a bowl of ramen or a freshly baked pineapple bun.
Late at night, visit the little parks between the highway off to the side from Wan Chai. There’s one you can reach via footbridge– I visited once at around midnight; there was a series of connected cement bowls, kind of like a tiny skatepark. Old chinese men were racing RC cars in them. To the right of that is a little park with pretty rocks and a pond, which contrasts v. nicely with the rushing cars only slightly removed from you.
Tai O is very interesting, as is Mong Kok. Visit Sai Wan Ho to see the prettiest collection of brightly colored boats all shoved together with a variety of hilarious locals.

Firstly – let’s be practical. I am also going to be in HK, and the weather has been heavy with rain, thunderstorms and poor visibility for the past week, and is set to continue that way for another week. So, from experience, when the weather is bad you’re more likely to spot interestig people indoors. I know you like to photograph people on the street, but often in Japanese and Chinese society you can see the more interestingly dressed people in hotels taking afternoon tea. So, in HK you may see some interesting people over in Kowloon at The Peninsula taking afternoon tea or cocktails – but you should go regardless, it’s an institution, and a good place to look back at HK island to take photos of the skyline. And as the weather is bad, you’re more likely to spot interesting people shopping and lunching at the Lane Crawford complex, and also at Joyce which is sort of like Barney’s. If you must photograph people of the street, then I’d be hanging around those places waiting for people to enter and exit. And make sure you have a strong umbrella!

1) Star Street in Wanchai/Admiralty. Kapok, a french owned boutique (mostly imported stock) has 2 locations within minutes of one another one lifestyle and one apparel, Visvim, WDSG, Incredibles, 45 Rpm, Delstore, etc. One of the few areas in HK not run by developers. Expect Americana and sadly not so much domestic.
2) Victoria Park/Southorn Playground: there are 75-year old men playing basketball and soccer against 20-year old’s – pretty amazing.
3) Causeway Bay (Patterson St./Hysan/Lee Garden). I.T. a Hong Kong original dominates the area with an amazing store as well as lot’s of it’s spin-off businesses. Slightly goth – the founder did start of selling British punk stuff out of his apartment.
4) Lane Crawford/Joyce/ Shanghai Tang because they’re original to HK. Shanghai Tang just opened a new flagship.
5) Sheung Wan area. Galleries and some boutiques but more for the the vibe. Rents killed the potential creative flow.
6) Tai Hang neighbourhood in Tin Hau. Small area of low-rises amongst the towering condo’s. Mostly garages and restaurant’s but a nice change of pace.
7) Anything Kowloon (TST, Mong Kok, Yau Ma Tei). There will be some originality and some grittiness.

*Do something serene and outdoorsy in the morning: a hike up the peak or visit one of the many beaches on the southside. Follow this up with a bustling ‘tea house’ lunch (labour at noon, office at 1) then attend one of the many events or enjoy a nightcap in Central/LKF at night. This is the glory of HK: the proximity of nature, rawness, and the modernity all within 15-20 minutes.

How wonderful that you will be in Hong Kong! It is my favorite city in the world, I’ve lived here on and off for a quite some time, and have seen it morph into an eclectic, incredibly cool city. My suggestions will give you a taste of what Hong Kong means to me: it’s about fun, community, street life, creativity, and non stop buzz:

Sheung Wan
Cool neighbourhood with great mix of local shops, small boutiques, galleries and dining spots…

-Moustache, bespoke menswear, denim, and fabulous knits, Ellis and Alex epitomize HK creativity and entrepreneurship! They also create a fantastic guide to HK, pop in and ask them about this Thursday night and about Japan!

Yardbird- first come- first serve restaurant specializing in chicken yakitori, the coolest, most passionate staff, vibrant setting, amazing house Sake and fabulous non-chicken bites as well.

-Walk around Sheung Wan, (grab a map from your concierge) and start from Soho on Hollywood road, down Aberdeen street, right on Wellington and Stanley to the alleys, you’ll find the wet market and curious local shops. Return to Aberdeen and wander down left to Gough Street… Back up to Hollywood, stop at Man Mo temple, and there after are a great assortment of galleries, antiques shops and cafe’s…

Central
-A must is obviously Lane Crawford at IFC, which to me is like 10 Corso Como/Colette meet Barney’s/Selfridge’s. Then the Basement of the Landmark which caters almost exclusively to men. Joyce on Queen’s road, and designer stores on Ice House Street, On Lan Street and Wyndham St.

-There is a very nice Dries store in Landmark, it makes me feel close to his location on Quai Malaquais (my favorite store in the world)… no men’s, and not as impressive, but just a peaceful, luscious spot. Have an even more luscious hot chocolate right across from Dries at Vero.

-The Gagosian Gallery and the Armoury on Pedder Street as mentioned before.

-Liberty Private Works is a private kitchen on the top floor of a commercial building… the chef (Chinese/Canadian I believe) creates an incredible eight course meal, that you enjoy whilst watching him and his team prepare and cook in the middle of a wraparound bar… floor to ceiling windows encase most of the space.

-Have a shave or Shanghainese pedicure with Ben at the Mandarin Barber, in one HKs institutions, the Mandarin Oriental- or a foot massage in one of the many parlours throughout the city.

-Dim Sum at Luk Yu Tea House, or try The Chairman for a unique culinary experience. The China Club is a must not only for the food, but for the setting- go all the way up to the Library or Balcony for a night cap. For Sichuan, try Chili Fogara, a tiny, little restaurant in Soho, your taste buds will never forget it!

-Hiking on a clear day in HK is priceless, do Dragon’s Back which will lead you down to one of the island’s beaches, Big Wave Bay- if it’s a good day, you will spot local and expat surfers there. A short distance away is the little town of Shek-O. If your time here is short, a stroll around HK park is lovely.

-Take the Ferry across to Tsim Sha Tsui, at 8pm (in time for the “light show”, then head to the night markets (as per other comments), and finish it off with drinks at Salon De Ning in the Peninsula (if during the day, afternoon tea at The Peninsula)

-Take a Ferry or get invited on a Junk Trip! Head out to Lamma or Poi Toi for seafood or sit in a Dai Pai Dong in Central or North Point for HK street food.

-More mainstream but worth a stop for the view is Sevva, for drinks outdoors overlooking HK

Star Street and Sun Street, Wanchai
Walk up Star Street and turn left on Sun Street, you will find a multitude of little shops. Fave little spots are Kapok, Patrick Bistro, 45 RPM….or just get lost in a very colorful part of the city.

Other
-Wong Tai Sin temple, to get your fortune told.

-Early morning in the city parks you are sure to see people of all ages practicing Tai Chi…

Make sure to check out some music lounges in SoHo (Hollywood Rd and above in Central): Makumba (african tribal music), Fresco (Live free jazz) and Joyce is not Here (indie lounge). All of them are on Peel Street.

A lot of creative professionals (artists, industrial designers) occupy the old factory buildings in the Kwun Tong district – could be interesting for you as well.

As a photographer, I think you will love Sheung Wan and Soho district! Both are filled with a perfect plethora of cute cafes, little shops and distinct HK architecture! Lots of interesting people with unique fashion!

I arrived in Hong Kong quite early in the morning, and as nothing was really open decided to go to the ‘Kings Garden’ (like the jardin du luxembourg for Hong Kongers) to drink coffe and wait for the city to wake up. The city was already awake, but rather composed, focused and silent. The park was full of city dwellers taking part in their early morning exercise of choice (early I mean 6am). Tai chi, yoga, chinese sword dancing, and this funny aerobics to chinese music. I was amazed at the blend of activity and silence. It is a must see that is not often seen.

I’ve lived here for 11 years. I agree with going to Sevva in Prince’s Building or to Grey’s Bar in Upper House for a cocktail and view of the harbor. Alternatively, the Ozone Bar at the new Ritz Carlton Hotel in HK’s tallest building (for now), ICC in Kowloon. Or Aqua Bar at 1 Peking Road has a nice view of Central, try to get there before 8pm so you can see the laser light show on every night. I also second going to the China Club, if your fashionista friends haven’t taken you there before, the art displayed in the old building is fabulous, not to mention the chef coming out to do a bit of a noodle display. Brunch at Zuma is a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon but book early. Also, for some nice Sichuan food I recommend Hutong at One Peking Road (also part of the Aqua group) or Chilli Figara in Soho. Or, for something a bit lower end but one of my faves – Din Tai Fung for Xiao Long Bao dumplings, there is one in TST and one in Causeway Bay. Clearly it’s all about the food!

The Peak via the Peak tram is fun but avoid the weekends if you can as it gets crazy busy. There is a nice walk around the hill starting from the road next to The Peak Lookout Cafe.

I personally wouldn’t bother with Stanley Market or Ocean Park.

Hollywood Road from Sheung Wan is an interesting expose of East meets West. It’s getting gentrified but the new restaurants haven’t pushed out the coffin makers – yet. Sheung Wan is an area with quite a bit of history. Hollywood Rd is famous for its (expensive) antique shops but around here you can find Chinese medicine shops and temples along with some small independent boutiques at the bottom end of Aberdeen St and Gough St.

I would really recommend going to the Sheung Wan area; it is very up and coming and you can find very interesting places to eat and shop, and meet very interesting people. Also the part of Sheung Wan that goes on towards Lan Kwai Fong and Upper Hollywood Road. Wanchai is also a very trendy area with fun restaurants. Sham Shui Po is a very interesting textiles district and I really do believe that it perfectly conveys the charm of Hong Kong. Hong Kong also has very interesting Street Markets which are fun to explore.

How are you? I hope you have settled into Hong Kong…? I hear its starting to get warm…

The last time I went to Hong Kong, my parents took me around the ‘Motherland’. Some of the highlights included:

1. Having High Tea at the Intercontinental Hotel.

2. Going to Happy Valley Horseracing Track. When I’m in Hong Kong I stay w/ family, the apartment looks directly over the track. Many people using the running track, and people playing soccer on the fields
What I love most is looking out the window and watching the horses race around the track, at night. What’s even more exciting is when I open the windows to hear the lively atmosphere of people cheering for their horse to cross the finish line first.

3. Travelling to Cheung Chau (Long Island) by ferry. A place w/ not only great seafood and beaches, but an awesome place to take many photographs of the locals, fishing and aquaculture scenery. Additionally, many small fashionable shops… You will be amazed at all the things you can find to buy!!!

4. I love visiting Macau… Mainly, because I love to spend time w/ my Great Grandparents. The Portuguese culture is so colourfully beautiful. Definitely venture away from the Casino area and mingle w/ the locals, though I would recommend that you visit the amazingly new ‘Galaxy Resort’.

I enjoy exercising my photographic skills… Some of the best places to capture the local people were in restuarants, dessert cafes, supermarkets, and on all means of public transport.

Welcome to HK! Tips for Hong Kong island from a resident expat: Gough street (central/soho) and Star street (wanchai) are the two trendiest streets (boutiques etc) on Hong Kong side. Other gems to keep on your radar in our city: lovely walk around Pokfulam reservoir, Shek-o village and beach, Lock Cha teashop in Hong Kong Park, dumplings at Din tai fung, truffle laced pastas at Otto e Mezzo, watch the world stroll by over coffee at Classified (Hollywood Road), a drink on the American Club rooftop in Exchange Square, dinner at the wonderful private kitchen TBLS (or other private kitchen options), tea at the Mandarin, traipse up the Midlevels escalator. Head to Causeway Bay for street style or stick around Central/soho to catch the generally well heeled.

You will have a great time scouring the streets of Hong Kong… Kowloon side has some good treasures in terms of back drops and crazy nooks as well as street fashion.
After 4 years Hong Kong still surprises me.
Yau Ma Tei Fruit Market is a personal fave.

there are so many things to do in hong kong, many that have been mentioned already. i agree that there is great sight seeing to be done. the big buddha never disappoints. great photo ops there. the markets are also great – the flower market and the bird market are two of my favorite. i also like to poke around in the other hong kong markets for clothes, or touristy items. i live in stanley, so stanley market has always been a favorite for me, but i should warn you that this market has changed a great deal since i’ve lived here….i fear it’s losing it’s charm and has seen a lot of really great shops shutting to be replaced with flashy, cheap trinket shops. i have written about a few of my favorite places on my blog if you’re interested…

My Dad lives in HK and I love to visit him there! Take the Star Ferry as much as you can. Have high tea at one of the grand hotels. Stanley Market is fun. And yes, try to get into the Aberdeen Marina Club and see another side. Maybe they still make those awesome beef tacos. Funny that the best shredded beef tacos that I have ever had were in Hong Kong.

For interesting independent boutiques, furniture shops and galleries you should definitely check out up-and-coming Square Street and surrounding area.

Cat Street is great for antique knick-knacks, with throw-backs to the cultural revolution.

In terms of culture eating is HK’s number one past-time. Early morning dim sum at Lin Heung Tea House (160 Wellington Street, Central, 2544 4556) is a MUST if you want a truly authentic experience. It’s loud, hot, and delicious.

There’s really too much to do and see yet quite a lot of them are like places elsewhere. So, I would recommend the following (in no specific order):
- sheung wan district for cool shops and galleries;
- temple night market: amateur singers, fortune tellers & street stands;
- hong kong museum of history, so many cultures helped build HK so it’s nice to have everything quickly summarized under one roof, good place to spend when rains/too hot;
- Cantonese opera: generally for an older generation but the costumes, make-up and singing is a huge part of HK culture. Sadly though the interest is dying so not many theatres are left standing. (I must warn for first-timers to Chinese opera, not everyone can handle the songs high pitched tones, considered as art to conaisseurs);
-as for shopping, central district and tsim sha tsui district near the peninsula hotel, a place to make a beverage stop.
Hope this helps and looking forward to hearing/seeing about your trip!

Visit:
Causewaybay Times Square
Tsimshatsui, Mongkok, Yaumati, Jordan the jade markets
The wet markets
The local markets
The night markets
The islands ā Lamma island, Lantao island
Hang around the local noodle shops/stalls
Stay local and avoid the shopping malls
For transportation take the MTR (subway) and trams
The Star Ferry

HK is amazing, and there are so many cool places to get to!
MongKok (in Kowloon) is a great region. It is known as being one of the most dense areas in the world, so its constantly bustling with people! The ladies market is right around there so there is a mix of both locals and tourists.
Similarly, Soho (in HK island) is a really interesting neighbourhood. There are some cool vintage stores and if you can find some of the outdoor food vendors within the region, they’re amazing – (most of them are family run, but they’re slowly being shut down so its worth it to try to find some while they are still around).
Have a great trip!

happy to show you around shueng wan….
lots of great little places here and wandering the side streets, old meets new here… plus some cute places for coffee (cafe loisl or teaka or heirloom) in and around hollywood road.
lived in the area for 7 years now. its almost as good as melb with its lanes and shops…

Many have suggested fantastic fashion hot spots and tourist destinations that are a must visit, but my personal favorites for capturing a side of Hong Kong perhaps less displayed include the humble island of Cheung Chau, for great seafood, a good walk, and fantastic photographic opportunities.

I feel Victoria Park is also exemplary of our city’s culture. You will find people from all walks of life there, and many youths engaged in self organized street basketball and football. You have to be there to feel what it is to be Hong Kong.

Check out University of Hong Kong’s main building and museum on Pok Fu Lam Rd. Then grab some dim sum at 11 Pok Fu Lam, a little hole-in-the-wall place (down the hill from HKU, but note — little-to-no English).

Walk around Jordan – less touristy, in my opinion. I second the Shek’O beach recommendation above, plus the Thai restaurant on the round-a-bout (the one farther from the beach). Lamma Island is also worth the ferry ride – great seafood places and a cool clothing/accessories store a year ago when I was last there. The Chi Lin Nunnery & gardens are also beautiful. The Wan Chai street market is often overlooked, but I think it is worth the stop if you’re in the area.

And if you drink a bit too much in LKF one night, order cold boiled ginger Coke the next morning (lots of dim sum places will make it)

Want to swing by IU on your way back to New York and bring me some egg tarts?

Rugby sevens is not a local scene. It s a sports event for expats and tourists. If you want local , go to Lama island, Monkok, Yau Ma Tei, Sheung Wan, Western District. In terms of fashion, you may try Central and Causeway Bay. But mind you, HK people are very conservative, including fashion. Not easy finding something refreshing… .
Good luck and looking forward to seeing your pictures of HK.

Hey Scott, as a fellow New Yorker now expat in fashion in HK, below is a list I’ve aggregated for many of my friends in the past who’ve asked your question. Happy to provide additional color as needed, feel free to reach out directly!Ā

Many of the below are inspired by Japanese & Korean fashion. These are basically multi-level complexes with boutiques scattered in a maze-like arrangement, selling everything from clothing and shoes to accessories for electronics. Ā / Dongdaemoon -like, for lack of a better description.

Island Beverly (CWB)
La Foret (CWB)
Causeway Bay Plaza (CWB)

World Trade Center – resembles the more traditional mall, but features more HK street-style boutiques (Sugarman) and more discount designer stuff (Twist)Ā

Take me with you!!!! There is so much to do in Hong Kong, I don’t know where to start.
A few things stand out from my trips there:
Visiting the surrounding islands like Lantau Island (Take a ferry to Mui Wo (Silvermine Bay) from Central, then make your way to the Tai O Fishing Village, and finish at the Tian-Tan Buddha. Return to Hong Kong via the Ngong Ping 360 — try to be on it at sunset) and Cheung Chau (This is the best time to go as there are a lot of cultural events happening… including the Bun Festival on April 22).
Exploring the Mid-Levels: Food, drinks, shopping AND a bit of culture. Need I say more?
Chi Lin Nunnery: The architecture is modeled after traditional Tang Dynasty architecture and built without nails. Plus it’s beautiful.
Wan Chai and Causeway Bay: For the craziness… food and shopping. Check out the Goods of Desire Store in Causeway Bay!

Have you been to Macau? I love Macau so I cannot resist putting in a plug for it, considering it is so close to HK — only 50 minutes by hydrofoil. Think curried crab and flaky egg rolls. Think pork chop buns and ginger milk custard… Due to its past as a Portuguese colony (v.s. British) the architecture and “feel” of Macau is very different from Hong Kong. Visit Senado square and explore the little shops and museums that surround it.

Hi I am from HK and have always enjoyed your site. My recommendation is the areas around Gough Street in Central where you will find east meets west, old meets new and equally importantly great food and beautiful stuff. You would also enjoy Hollywood Road which is next to Gough Street. You will find very different atmosphere on weekends and weekdays. Have fun and take good pictures…

If you want to capture teen subculture and some of the coolest dressed kids in Hong Kong, go to Island Beverly in CWB and Mongkok (nicknamed MK) Sai Yuen Choi street. There’s a hip hop CD shop in MK where the local scene hangs out (appropriately named Hip Hop @ 179 Temple Street). Goldfinch Cafe in CWB is where Wong Kar Wai filmed In the Mood for Love and 2046.

Hook up with these fashionistas, some of the indie music/fashion icons of HK:

Skip the tsotchky tourist markets and instead hit the bird market in Kowloon where all the older Chinese men gather to visit. They bring their pet birds (in their cages) and hang them up next to each other on rods because many birds only sing when they are they are groups. You can also browse some ornate cages and buy crickets to feed them. Luk Yu teahouse’s chef will be impressed if you order their pig lung soup which is not on the menu. Alex and Ellis at Moustache bespoke tailoring in Sheung Wan offer the best “out of the way” guidebook at their shop. Have a local take you to Shekou’s beachside bbq pits and cook some fresh seafood. And if you have the time, rent bikes on Cheung Chau island (45 min ferry ride) and spy on some street mahjong games.

Came back two days ago from a fashion business trip in HK, here are my best tips:

Shopping: I would say SoHo has the best variation of small shops in HK, everything from young designers to secondhand. For the real HK shopping you need to leave central and go to the Kowloon side, mongkok has everything from birds to sneekers, Sham Shui Po is the area for fashion designers to find everything from small hardware details to fabric(this area is amazing just to walk through, you will find any material for for production, not simply for the fashion business), also just walk around- HK is not that big and filled with fantastic areas

I grew up in HK. For culture and great street scenes go to Western district and Hollywood road area. SoHo for food and bar scene. Skip the malls they are all the same. My new favorite place Wan Chai, go to Moon street and Star Street in Wan Chai. I love to shop there, lots of independent shops and boutiques with unique local and national brands. More importantly, NO MAINLAND CHINESE TOURISTS crowding the streets and stores.

HI
I recently went to Hong Kong and had lovely time. My favourite places by far were the flower and bird markets. Both are not very big but full of colour and beautiful things. The birdcages in the bird market are particularly special.
Cat st antique market is also great. There’s a lot of junk but a few gems too.
Have fun Scott!

Welcome to Hong Kong…
Sheung Wan, Sun Street & Star Street in Wan Chai, Lama Island are good places of course, would also suggest you to gosky100 Hong Kong Observation Deck (just opened last April). it’s the highest indoor observation deck in Hong Kong – on the 100th floor of the tallest building in town, it offers 360 panoramic view of Hong Kong, especially at night!

Hong Kong was a busy fishing village. I suggest to walk around one of the famous spot Tai O in Lantau Island. It contains temples over 200 years old; some Indigenous inhabitants still dress as 100 years ago.

Harbour City…Watch all the Mainland Chinese spend, spend spend and out do one another. It’s surprisingly entertaining! Plus hang outside the Rick Owens boutique for a very hip look at avant guard HK.

Lane Crawford at Central. It has an amazingly curated selection of menswear labels but sadly only in petite sizes.

Spend as much time as you can in the backstreets of Kowloon. Amazing noodle shops, hyper paced locals going about their daily/nightly business and in a way becoming HK’s Williamsburg without the pretension. How the unmonied but still hip live.

Come to Tung Chung! I am flying out tomorrow. Then again hanging out in IFC, going out to Mong Kok where all the pet markets are, or Victoria Peak would be nice. Hong Kong is definitely a shopper’s haven with so many wonderful malls to shop in! Hope you have a great time!

COME to SF! COME to SF! COME to SF! COME to SF! COME to SF! COME to SF! COME to SF!COME to SF! COME to SF! COME to SF! COME to SF! COME to SF!COME to SF!
the land of foggy sunshine, rainbow flags, and old italian men! Please? I love the sartorialist!
xoxo

Where the fashion & style independents are:
Star Street, Sun Street, St Francis Yard – all within one area at the edge of Wan Chai near Pacific Place III. Gough Street in Central is worth to see, only more interesting during weekends.
Lyndhurst Terrace to Hollywood Road. To see bizarre mix of old & local vs uber cool modern cafe, art galleries, new little fashion shops,
Flower Market in Mongkok.
Sai Yeung Choi Street in Mongkok, and junction at Geroge Street x Hennesy Road in Causeway – both crowded areas with exciting local real people morning till midnight.
Anyway, you’ll be amazed how much changes happened here in HK since your last trip!

Pop into Moustache, a bespoke menswear shop on Aberdeen Street, Central where Ellis and Alex will show you how they’re capturing the best of ’50s and ’60s Hong Kong tailoring and putting a modern aesthetic on it. Ellis and Alex firmly believe that “Made in Hong Kong / China” shouldn’t be something people should by reticent to promote…it’s businesses like these that give Hong Kong the vibe it deserves, not the large, glitzy department shops that you can find anywhere. The Sheung Wan district surrounding Central is as quirky as it gets in HK

To echo what others may have already said, I’d definitely spend more time on the Kowloon side. That’s where the quintessential Hong Kong residents live and you’ll definitely see more personal style walking the streets (I personally love seeing what the elderly wear; as quiet as it may be, they have infinitely more style). When I visit, my relatives always take me to the Hong Kong Club, which is a great place to witness a glimmer of eastern tradition adapting western style from the 30s and 40s (it’s been a while so I’m not sure if this is still the case).

If you have time, I’m sure you won’t be disappointed with the gentlemen at Colonial Goods (http://colonialgoods.co). Their shop is located at 30, D’Aguilar Street, Central District, Hong Kong.

I’d stay away from Victoria’s Peak for the most part. But do go to The Four Seasons or Mandarin Oriental for a sublime view of the HK skyline at night.

Oh! You make me miss HK now! I hope this helped. Have a fantastic trip!

I’m from HK but I’ve also lived in NYC. Please do NOT go to Bo Innovations. I know Tony Bourdain went…but me and my friends have been twice and so friends of friends went a few times as well…and it’s really not worth it.

Take a ferry to an island (Tap Mun, Lamma etc), not extreme stunning but really local !
Dinner at Hu Tong in Tsim Sha Tsui (Chinese Crusine), good food and fantastic view !
Weekend brunch on Jumbo , enjoy a laid back afternoon on floating Restauranthttp://www.jumbo.com.hk/eng/main.php
Have a touch of art, may try JCCAChttp://www.jccac.org.hk/
Shopping recommends small boutiques in SOHO

I live & shoot in HKG & have been inspired by you, & Marco Tenaglia, to start a Hong Kong Street Fashion project, part of which can be seen on my website in the S. F. H. K. gallery.

I’ve read through many of the comments above & there are a lot of great suggestions although I wouldn’t recommend Discovery Bay.

Star Ferry & The Peak are a must, as is taking in some of the temples & markets;
The Temple of 10,000 Buddhas is exceptional & can be found in Sha Tin.http://alturl.com/q43u3
The Chi Lin nunnery in Diamond Hill is also very special.http://alturl.com/qs84n

The area between Central & Mid-Levels on HK Island is excellent for shooting street fashion.
Causeway Bay, also on HK Island, is full of very funky-looking people.

Kowloon / TST are incredibly over-crowded & that makes it difficult to shoot.

A great bar for a drink at street level is ‘La Piola’ in Lyndhurst Terrace, in Central, where you can sit & have a tasty free bar snack, sip a Peroni & shoot fashionable walkers-by….heaven! Make sure you get there no later than 5:30 to get a seat, street-side.

It’s Wednesday.. so definitely go to the Happy Valley Racecourse! You’ll see an interesting mish-mash of locals and expats, the stylish, the corporate, and the who-cares.

For a creative view of the city, there’s a map that you can get called “Creative City” (creativecity.hk) that can give you a different perspective than you typical tourism board listings.

The Sheung Wan area, is perfect for something cultural with a strong visual impact, and like plenty of the others have mentioned the Tai Ping Shan Street area is great! Lots of small independent lifestyle driven stores have set-up that quiet area which is also full of Hong Kong flavour.

Personally, I love Hong Kong night view! It’s always the best to look at the Central side from the Tsim Sha Tsui side. Star Ferry and the Tram are my 2 favorite transportations in Hong Kong. For food, make sure you go to Shum Shui Po if you want to taste Hong Kong. People cooking on street. It is a pretty interesting scene. Other cultural spots including Tai O, an older part of Hong Kong where you can find old fish villages. http://www.discoverhongkong.com might inspire you to check out a few places as well. I truly hope you enjoy your stay in Hong Kong. Looking forward to your posts =)

Must pay a visit to this new store on Hollywood Road, Central! It was started by two best friends a year ago and it has quickly become one of the go-to places for the young and fashion consicious Hong Kong crowd. All items in the shop are carefully selected by the owners from around the world and it has a real personal touch to it compared to any other shops in Hong Kong which are mostly business orientated. There’s a frozen yoghurt store on the ground floor just in case you need to take the load off your feet from Hong Kong’s sweltering heat. What more could you ask for!

I was a tourist in HK last November.I went to Kowloon area by ferry, and sat next to two HK ladies in fashionable high end styles. They sat comfortably in public ferry with no hesitation and discuss things like investments or something while on their side is 2 Chanel shopping bags. I found that view are so cool. HK are so stylish , to see the high fashion in the streets just so a cool contrast. Please also try to go to finance area, in peak hours like lunch time. Those guys are so stylish!

You need to go to a Horse Race. Everyone is dressed to the nine’s there.
Also the best shopping is on Nathan Road in Jim Sa Joi (I spelled it phoentically). Starbucks are ubiquitous and very small. You might want to duck into one and grab a take out menu.
We had a great time at the wet market and the view from Victorias Peak is awesome. The Star Ferry at Wan Chai is also awesome. Might I suggest a ride on a junk as well as a trip to JUMBO floating restaurant.
Hong Kong is like New York City on speed. Everyone is always rushing around trying to make money. I can’t wait to go back

Cotton Tree Drive holds the marriage registry, and a lot of brides and grooms have their wedding photographs taken in the Hong Kong Park marriage registry.

Central is also where most of our biggest law firms and banks are, so the suit and pantsuit style should be worth a check out if you hit it between 12pm and 2pm when all the office workers go out for lunch.

Young men play football at Southorn Playground in Wanchai every afternoon, while the seniors play chess there.

The flowers market in Mongkok/ Prince Edward (Kowloon) is also very popular.

The Cultural Centre steps are our equivalent of the Met Steps and sometimes there are shows and live music there – also a very popular wedding photo spot.

I’d definitely check out Langham Place. The top two floors are devoted to local shops. I’m very fond of t-shirts with interesting designs and some of the ones I’ve liked best are at paper on level 10: a lot of detail and very soft fabrics (even the black)

Welcome to Hong Kong
Please check out The stores on Gough Street and Aberdeen Street, especially Moustache on Aberdeen Strret, Halo, Homless and Sidewalk on Gough Street.
In addition there is a great store on Gage Street bringing in Vintage furniture!
There is also Ro on Gage Street, great bags. You must eat at 208 and Yardbird, check out Cat Street Gallery. Pop into Whire Cube.
I would also agree and check out the Armoury, wonderfully original.
Hope to see you, but if not enjoy

Hi,
I spent 4 months in Hong kong , if you want see fashion independant label , you could go to DAYDREAM NATION LABEL. They have a shop in Hong kong island. Here the link :http://www.daydream-nation.com/

omg HK is a fantastic place to be. the shopping is awesome and the food is gorgeous.
The Argyle Centre in Mongkok is a place where all teens hangout to buy rip-offs. (sounds awful but they have some stuff that can look really cool when put together right)

I belive Citygate outlet near Tung Chung MTR station is the one that retails past season bags for good prices.

As for sights, Avenue of the Stars is definitely a walk not to miss :)

And i have always loved stepping into Central… the beat of the city and the lovely suits pacing the streets makes me buzz!

Did I mention that hong kong is a foodie heaven as well? you can get so much yummy asian food there! gees. enjoy and have a good time. really looking forward to some hong kong features in satorialist, finally something fresh from a truly Asian perspective!

Try out one of many fish Restaurants in Sok Kwu Wan on Lamma Island.
I’ve been to the so called “Hilton” Seafood restaurant once in 2010 and a few weeks ago in 2012 and have never been disappointed.
You can have a ferry trip from central to Yung Shue Wan and walk about 1.5h to Sok Kwu Wan and take the ferry back to Central from there.
Have fun!

Hi, I was born in Hong Kong, it;s delighted to know you are here. To be honest, I don’t think there are many great cultural places as good as in the west. If I were you, I will go to Central to shopping, like IFC, and go to enjoy dim sum and food as much as possible. I will also recommend you to go to the beaches like Stanely or Repulse Bay. Have a nice trip. Enjoy your days in Hong Kong. Cheers

not sure if tickets are still available…the famous Chinese novel “Dream of Red Chamber” is being put on now at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre Grand Theatre (as a Cantonese opera); extremely famous actors, beautiful costumes. Definitely a visually stunning treat with a cultural impact.

No one seemed to have suggested “Australian Dairy Co” in Kowloon for breakfast. You get a unique feel for local breakfast that is not dim sum (like you would get in NY). Must drink HK style Milk Tea.
Have a blast, and get a suit.

Why not go and see how the other half live? 30% of Hong Kong’s population live in public housing estates… You won’t find much in the way of high end fashion but you will have an insight into the contrasts of Hong Kong and perhaps pick out that diamond in the rough. Pretty no. But relevant.

Hong Kong is also known for it’s lovely coast side locations and beaches. When the weather lightens up (absolutely horrid as of right now), pay a visit to Repulse Bay. Repulse Bay is a classical mix of colonial white pillars, sprouting fountains and the go-to place for weddings with it’s stunning architecture and atmosphere. It’s a great place to get some great shots of girls in walking around in flowing Maxi Dresses.

If you are around the HK island side, I would say to go to Sheung Wan, it’s an up and coming area with lots of small boutiques, design spaces, cafe’s etc. It’s a really nice blend of eastern and western cultures. You’re bound to find some cats with really cool personal style.

Specifically, I would suggest going to Tung Street, Tai Ping Shan Street and Square Street all in Sheung Wan. You’ll find spots like Konzepp, Signed-By and Square Street (shop) which are full of great finds too!

Get in touch with Secret Tour Hong Kong. They specialize in seeking out and teaching about the hidden side of Hong Kong such as local artists in Kwun Tong (old airport area), the walled cities out in Kam Tin. The crew are young passionate Hong Kongers. And no, I don’t work for them!

Nite time at Temple Street, you will see another side of the street fashion. coz some of local singer (mid-age) who wears 60-70S show wears for the music play. this is another side of unique style in HK.

Nite time at Temple Street, you will see another side of the street fashion. coz some of local singer (mid-age) who wears 60-70S show wears for the music play. this is another side of unique style in Hong Kong.

You can try go to China Club the nice place with old fashion interoir. You will see the mix of old Chinese and west together, feel like you go back to 1910 – 1930 HK. This is on level 13 Bank of China next to HSBC head office in Central. And you will see many HK celerbrities love to go there. I am sure you will love it. :) Enjoy.

Prince’s Terrace – lovely pedestrian street above Caine road next to the escalators, chock full of happy couples, children, dogs on the weekend – very unique ‘oasis’ in the middle of the city. Lots of CHI ladies convene at the French cafe

208/Classified/Heirloom on Hollywood Road – actually anyplace along Hollywood Road in Sheung Wan as well as the neighborhoods above

Hi Scott,
You are already in HK! Not the best weather/light for making pics, hope you have a guide, there are so many hidden cool places.
Some of my favorite places….
Sheung Wan area: walk from Central Hollywood rd to Sheung Wan, great antique shops, walk till Heirloom, great for coffee/drinks.
Gough street, Noho area: great furniture, little boutiques.
Wanchai area: upcoming area, the new ‘soho’ Star/Moon/Sun street, nice stuff & coffee at Kapok.
Every night at 8pm there’s a light show, to see it from the water, take the Star ferry in Central (every 7 min) to Kowloon site.
A very old, beautifull, private Club: The China Club, great for diner, the decoration is a mix of modern/old art, different rooms, library, balcony, breathtaking (better than the one in Beijing).
HK has many islands, please visit a very small island: Cheung Chau, no cars, take from Central a direct ferry.
Drinks: Lily & Bloom, The Pawn, The Feather & Boa, Yardbird
HK has many beaches, visit HK Island: Big Wave Bay beach, here’s a real small surfers scene. You can also make a hike through the mountains and end on that beach.
Diner: Zuma, 208, Yardbird, Din tai Fung, Le Marron
Drinks with great view: Upper House, Wooloomooloo Wanchai (big terrace, no so posh as the rest, best view), Ozon, Aqua.
Clubs: Fly, Kee Club
Better avoid: Ladies market, Stanley, Lan Kwai Fong area…very toeristic.
Have fun & enjoy this special place that never sleeps, Jeanine

Thats so wonderful you will be in this side of the world!
Having lived in hk for the last year, I can confidently say you will get that visual stimulation you are after regardless where you are….I still get awe struck.
Most shopping malls ie times square, harbour city, pacific place offer the same high end labels plus your Zara’s, uniqlos etc….Pretty generic and conventional.
If your wanting something quirky and different, go and explore the GOD ( goods of desire) store at Causway bay.
There are some markets http://www.discoverhongkong.com/eng/attractions/hk-cat-street.html on cat street where you can pick up some interesting bits and pieces. Be sure to check out Man mo temple while your there as well.
Be sure to catch a ferry from hk island to tsim Sha Tsui. The ferry workers wear cute little sailor outfits which add to the experience.
I could go on, but sometimes it’s nice to discover this city whilst not on a particular track. You will be surprised with what little treasures you find. Enjoy!

You should def check out “New Street” upper the Hollywood Road. There has a lot of Gallery and If you on the “Tai On terrace” Theres a really nice coffee house “Cafe Loisl” and also a contemporary jewellery gallery there!

Tai Hang, near Tin Hau/Causeway Bay. It’s like Hong Kong’s Lower East Side. The Mid Levels Escalator. Sheung Wan. Sai Ying Pun. Yau Ma Tei. Mong Kok between Dundas and Argyle Streets. If the weather improves, go to Shek O on the South Island. The village is lovely. Wan Chai, especially Star Street District but Lockhart Road is definitely great to photograph. Tsim Sha Tsui East is iconic. Sham Shui Po is fun. Lamma and Cheung Chau Islands are a short ferry ride from Central and are places you would not expect to exist in HK. Definitely take the Ferry from Kowloon to Hong Kong Island.

Topol above said:
“Everything changes quickly in Hong Kong so I donāt know if this enclave still exists: Rise Commercial Building. Itās in Tsim Sha Tsui and is a nondescript five-story building tucked away at the end of Granville Road, which is a street full of outlet stores. Rise is a warren of small rooms, averaging 10 x 10 feet!, each occupied by a local fashion designer. It was open in the evening.”

I was just at Rise two months ago, and can confirm that it is a must see for the local fashion design scene. Plus most of the little stores are playing great music. Address is 5-11 Granville Circuit, in TST.

Every time I visit hk I make sure to get some real Macau egg tarts! Lord Stowe is famous and has an outpost at the excelsior hotel in causeway bay brought in fresh daily from Macau! You won’t be disappointed.

unsure if you know about The Secret Tour in HK (http://www.secrettourhk.com), think they will able to help and show u the real hidden side of HK, like tattoo artist, creative factory and what’s really happening in the HK neighborhood. cheers and hope u have a great time in zone 852!

The SOHO area near the art gallery district and the giant escalators is a wonderful area filled with unique and inspiring fashion. When I was in Hong King in November, wandering and getting lost in those little alleyways and and art galleries lead me to see some wonderful ideas for my own style. Definitely the area to be! Good luck!

I’ve been away from my computer for a couple of days, but I’m loving all of the Hong Kong photos. They look amazing!
I’m loving what I’m seeing — it’s always so fun to see what everyday people are wearing in different parts of the world. Thanks so much for sharing these shots!

The bird market and flower market in Kowloon! Take the red line MTR to the Prince Edward stop, take exit B1 and walk towards the Mong Kok stadium. There is a goldfish market around there too. The bird market is called “Yuen Po Street Bird Garden”. The birds are especially interesting as they are in a more old china setting sort of like an open temple courtyard. The country parks are very nice too! Ma On Shan has a good one with lots of nice veiws of mountains and usually there are natives grilling over fire an the fire pits around the entrance of the park. If you pick the right hike (it’s an easy one) you will find old abandoned mines in the woods. They are very interesting. Have fun in HK!

A smaller place to visit that I recommend would be the Goldfish Market on Tung Choi street. It doesn’t sound like much, but even if you’re not into markets full of pet fish and turtles, it is a beautiful sight to see, especially in the evening.

By day I write about supporting the highest quality American-made products, and it may seem like a contradiction, but I also absolutely love Hong Kong. From the knock offs and cheap thrills in the outdoor markets to the fabulous boutiques and endless shopping malls – there is so much to see. And oh the views! And oh the food! Reading everyone’s comments gave me a great trip down memory lane and made me want to go back. I will be check back here to I can hear all about your trip. Vicarious travel is better than no travel at all. Have a wonderful time.

Don’t know if you’re still there, but for next time…
..definitely The China Club for old school 30′s vibe and amazing demo/dance by chef hand making noodles ( check out on YouTube)
…ride a double decker bus for a great view down on the streets.
…shanghai tang for old school elegant clothing
…take a cooking class. I took this one and Joy was wonderful taking us through the wet markets and then back to her tiny HK apartment to cook…..not the glamorous side of HK but authentic. http://www.homescookingstudio.com/photo.html
…The Penninsula for high tea
…

Don’t know if you’re still there…but for next time…..
Definitely The China Club for old school 30′s vibe and amazing chef demo/dance on handmade noodles…check out on YouTube
Shanghai Tang for old-school elegant clothing in a beautiful setting.
Ride on a double decker bus for great shots down on street scenes
Take a cooking class….I took this one http://www.homescookingstudio.com/photo.html
and Joy took us through the wet markets to shop and then back to her tiny HK apartment to cook…not glamorous, but authentic.
Loved this city…just got back. Hope you enjoyed.

If you’re still in HK, try the Ozone Bar, at 110th Floor of ICC in kowloon, tallest building in HK (118 floors). It’s a breathtaking view of HK skyline from above.

Fancy a little culture, and if you don’t mind being squeezed to death, go to Cheung Chau for the Bun Festival. It’s Buddha’s birthday this weekend and Cheung Chau will be flooded with people, seeing parades of little kids dressed in Chinese traditional costumes hoisted on sticks. Quite a scene. And adults climbing a “bun” mountain for the top bun for good luck.

Food wise, a season food dinner at Suk Koo Wan in Lamma Island is fun. A bit of nature too. Lamma is a half hour ferry ride from Central. Pier right in front of IFC on the shore.

Fashion wise, Central is all executive looking. Causeway Bay is more office lady look. Mongkok is croweded but you can so some teenagers dressed a bit more interestingly.

If you find anyone who’s a member of China Club in the old China Bank Building, please ask him/her take you there. It has some of the nicest and funkiest juxtaposition of modern arts and decor of China. Truly lovely and funky. The food is great as well. Too bad it’s only for members.

Instead of coffee, go for milk tea (great legacy of the Brits).

Have fun ;) I love the little city.

Old, rent a boat and sail around Sai Kung Pennisula is fun and relaxing too!!!

What a pity I just saw it now.
For your next trip to HK, go check out
HKDI – crazy kids study fashion, always dress up n dare to dress
HKPU – same as above
SOHO in central – old n new meets
Old districts on island, Sheung Wan & Shau Kei Wan
Get on the tram which you can only get on island n was meant to build along coastline (yeah, part of it expended is from landfill)
WongTai Shin Temple
Buddhist one in …mmm….I have to check

Museums here is not exciting but Central means a complex and condensity of everything of HK I d say.